Article grouper and spacer



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1965 B. J. NIGRELLI ETAL ARTICLE GROUPER AND SPACER Filed June 24, 1963 July 13, 1965 B. J. NIGRELLI ETAL ARTICLE GROUPER AND SPACER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1965 HT )c INVENTORS BIAGIO J. NIGRELLI WENDELL E. STANDLEY RICHARD B. WITTMANN JAMES BY Zd, fmA-MLZZM/ ATTORNEY I. WITTMANN July 13 1965 B.J.N|GRELL1 ETAL 3,194,382

ARTICLE GROUPER AND SPACER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 24, 1965 INVENTORS BIAGIO J. NIGRELLI WENDELL E. STANDLEY RICHARD B. WITTMANN JAMES I. WITTMANN 38 By JzalMZI/U ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,194,382 ARTICLE @ROUTER AND SPACER Biagio l. Nigreili, Northbrook, Wendell E. Standley, Lake Forest, and Richard B. Wittmann and laines I. Wittmann, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Johns-Nigrelii.lohns,

Inc., Skokie, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed dune 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,874 2 Claims. (Cl. 198-34) The present invention relates to grouping and spacing mechanism and more particularly to mechanism for segregating groups of a predetermined number of articles arranged in an advancing row or rows and causing the individual groups to be spaced from succeeding groups as they are further advanced.

An important object of the invention is to provide a highly elicient form of mechanism capable of segregating groups of upstanding uniform size articles, such as cans, from a row or rows of such articles advancing in abutted relation on conveying means and maintaining the groups of articles separated during their further advance beyond the segregating station.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for segregating cylindrical articles from abutted rows in which the articles are being conveyed while resting on their ends with the cylindrical sides disposed upright.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for segregating advancing groups of articles such as chimed end cans resting on their ends, such groups being segregated from advancing abutted rows of such articles, and operative to segregate a predetermined number of articles in the row or rows even if the chimes of certain articles are resting upon the chimes of adjacent articles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide group segregating and spacing mechanism particularly designed for handling cylindrical chimed cans advancing in abutted relation in a plurality of adjacent rows on a supply conveyor, first segregating the cans into rectangularly shaped groups of a predetermined number and pattern, spacing the groups and advancing them in spaced relation to a handling station, such as a device for loading the cans substantially en masse into open top containers.

Additional and more speciiic objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings- FIGURE l is a side elevational, generally schematic, view of the mechanism of the present invention as it appears when associated with mechanism for loading articles into open top trays or containers;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG- URE l, except that certain portions are omitted in the interest of clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, on an enlarged scale, but with certain structure omitted, showing the mechanism at the left end fo FIGURE l, and illustrating the details of the article segregating device;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view of the article segregating device taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken along line 5--5 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; FIGURE 6 is detailed schematic view showing the single revolution clutch member in side elevation; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the single revolution clutch member in locked position.

The article grouping and spacing mechanism herein illustrated is designed and adapted particularly for use with a tray or container loading machine, such as illustrated in the patent to B. J. Nigrelli, No. 3,053,025, and with modifications of such machine.

Fice

The mechanism herein disclosed is particularly designed to handle loose or unpackaged cans or similar articles, but it may also be employed to handle packages of cans or the like, particularly in the case of packages in which the end cans project partially from the ends of the package.

In the usual operation, a plurality of rows of cylindrical cans are conveyed in upright, abutted relation on a supply or feeding conveyor toward the grouping station. At this station the advancing can rows are controlled by a metering device which includes chains having spaced can-engaging elements thereon. As shown herein, these are pins projecting from the chains.

The invention is not limited for use with articles of cylindrical cross-section. 'Ihe principles of the mechanism may also be applied to types of articles of non-cylindrical cross-section in which engaging portions on such articles are located rearwardly and forwardly respectively of the foremost and rearmost -portions of the article, seen as it is advancing.

The metering chains are driven to allow the rows to advance while they are under the control of the can-engaging pins. These pins move to the point at which a succeeding set of pins has moved to engaging position behind cans which are to become the trailing cans of the predetermined length rows. At this point the metering chains are stopped and held at rest for a brief period. This allows the cans ahead of the leading set of pins to move a distance away from the group that is being held. Following the interval of stoppage, the metering chains are again advanced a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sets of pins. The leading pins are immeately removed from engagement with the leading cans of the group and the group is released. The next following pins then are in position to control the rows of cans at the rear of the group that has been released. While the can rows are being held back by the pins the surface of the conveyor slips harmlessly beneath the cans.

The metering operation continues with the result that the can groups advance periodically in spaced relation. The spaced groups as they advance may be transferred onto a support, such as a dead plate or guide means, preparatory to the delivery of the ca-ns into a case, or to other treating means.

The separated groups may be advanced to the loading position by an overhead type push-rod conveyor. One of the push rods entering the space at the rear of the separated groups, will then continue to advance the group to bring it to the loading station or to any other desired point.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a supply or feeding conveyor, indicated generally at 5, is arranged to deliver a plurality of rows of abutted articles 6, 6, such as upright cylindrical cans, to a receiving conveyor, generally indicated at 7. Groups of articles 6 are segregated by a metering device, generally indicated at 8, and such groups are movable onto a suitable support indicated at 9 to be advanced along or beyond such support by conveying means, generally indicated at 10.

While the article grouping means may be employed in connection with various mechanisms, it is herein shown, for purposes of illustration, as employed with a container or tray loading means, such as disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 3,053,025. The article grouping means may also conveniently be used in conjunction with loading mechanism of the type disclosed in the copending application of B. I. Ngrelli et al., Serial No. 250.543, now Patent No. 3,141,274.

The conveying means i0, in the form of an overhead conveyor having spaced push rods 11, l1, is designed to engage and advance the segregated groups along the support 9 and into supported relation with suitable slide roller conveyor 16.

.mediate guide 42 comprises a t 3 Y bars 12 arranged'under a series of clectroinagnets, generally designated at 13. Trays 14, -ll4,`advanced on an inclined, endless conveyor 15,. are moved to the loading pointmancl when a group of cansrinoving, on the und-erV 'surfaces of vthe magnets engages the leadingwall of the tray, the tray 4is advanced and brought to horizontal posi-V tion 'on a conveyor section 15a.

receivedlinto the'tray, are propelled beyondthey inuence of the'magnets andthe lled tray is discharged onto the As the push rodfll! Y Vcontinues torpropel the can group, the cans, having been bars V1S, 13 be:bent3toaconvergerslightly' over/fthe.' dead plate SiV to rbring the rows Yinto close Vlateralen'g'igee;V ment preparatory totherloadingioffthe can groupinto are.,

Y -1 tray vor coi'itainer.,Y

The rneeliansm'issupported on suitable base trarne members all of which are conventional For purposes of illustration the drawings Vshow fourlines ofrcans which are segregated Vin multiples of six, forming groups Vof 1,15 `twenty-four,V cans each which is a convenient number for handling in traysV or cases,Y It'is to Ybe understood that'- four separate conveying elements Se, 5ay passing over individual rolls 5b, Sb on a shaft 5c. Guide bars 18,:

'the grouping may be varied vas desiredwithout 'departing from the invention. v v y The conveyor 5, which may be either in the forml of-,an

endless Vbelt or a ilat plate type of endless chain, has l 13 are employed to Vlseepthe moving cans Vinthe desired alignment and. the cans will travel in abutted relation.

uThe two outer guideV bars 18 may berextended the entire'- Vlengthof the machine tol theloading station.V Suitably supportedjholdadown bars or guides 18a, 18a are prefer- -r fably'employed, arranged in close relation overy the tops: Y ofthe can rows inthe areaof the 'metering device.k

From conveyor section 5 the rows of cans pass overav dead plate '19 onto 'conveyor section fl. This section, for

convenience, is illustrated as comprising a plurality of Y narrow belts 26,20 'passing-over narrow-rolls 21, 21,013Y

lshaft .422 at the receiving end ofthe conveyor.y At the y discharge uend of theconveyorthe belts 2) pass overv rolls 23, 2S fixed'on shaft 24. The shafts 22 and 24 Vare journallediin suitable 'bearingsrcarriedion the base frame members. n Y Y Y l Asbest shown in FIGURES y3', 4, and 5, the ,metering device chains are located inclose proximity to thebelts 2a, as. are located between the belts,r andthey outer'two chains,

indicated at 29 and 3d, are located outsidethe outerbelts.; The chains pass over rear andrfrontrsprockets 31, 31 and.

32, 32 carried on shafts .33 yand'fl iournalled in suitable bearings on therfrarne members. vln addition tosprockets Vsprockets 35, llcarriedon shaft 3e.

The metering chains Veach carryja pluralityof uniformly spaced article-engaging elements,'herein illustrated as pins The intermediate chains, indicated at 27Yand 28;

' 31 and 32, theY chains pass around V'chain-tightener j 38, 58. Thesepinsmay be formed integrally withV special chain link elements 39, Y39. The construction is such that the upright .surfaces ofthe cans; As shown -in FIG- URES 4 and 5, the pinspreferably engage against the curvedlsurfaees of the ,cans at fpositions offset from lines drawn through thecenters of the can rows. I

each pinprojects Vat..substantially.a right angleto Vthe- `long axis of its`link. TheV pin's extend `sufl'ciently frein their` chains sok ,that they may contact laterally against r Thent'ermediate guides for the .can rows are bestr Y y illustrated in FIGURE 5. Two of the guides 4t), 46 have lower offset portions 46:1,4662 secured to an apertured plateil having its edges securedto baserfrarnemembers.

The aperturesin theplateare formed to accommodate the upperV portions of the sprockets.

The Yoifset portions 40a afford 'clearance for the Vspecial linkV elements to Y which the lingers 38 are secured.` The remaining interlat upstanding bar secured to the plate 41'.

The intermediate guides 40, V49 Vand 42 together With', thetwo outer guides 18, 1S'serve tokeep thef cans in' each row in accurate alignment. Y The intermediate guides maybe terminated, approximately Vat therends ofthe Vconveyor belts`20,20 and at this point the` outer guidev will be ysomewhat spaced ftact withV the trailingcan. Y f

By `constructing the metering .device sotliat itspchainf; V,YJ-insYv/ill contact the cansofcentenfand spacing theipins Y YYYBy reference'fto FIGURE-fit Lmaybe` eadily seen,V that the spacing. between the Lsuccessivi-a pin's--is less than six'candiairieters; Thus, when the rowof si'xcfiiisr4 is(V disposedbetween the` pins with tliegleading caninrmr; Contact against they leading. pin, the trailing pin willbe Y in approximate, Contact .with the trailing can:

assumes on the conveyorjrbeltZG. -Ifyasit sometimes happens;

the chime of one Vor more VVcans"y is ,overlapped withithe Y n chime on one or moreradjoining cans, tne :trailiiigp'pinp from itsY normal Vpoint of con;

apart lessthan siX can diameters, as illustrated,f it'is assured thatthe trailing kpin Vwill VnotV moveupben'eath: l i the seventh'can Veven.thoughfallof the vhimesof thesixI can row are overlapped Y YThe metering chains-maybe rdriven attire' saine speed Y Y `at which yconveyors 5 and fare drivenjbt, preferably, c Y 'A the chainsraredriven ata speed which is Vsomewhat slower than thespeed of conveyors'S and 7, fand -rneansj are prof vided for starting and Stopping :the 4metering.:glei/ice`V in timed relation Awithv the'Y movement of the push Irofds i 11,11; Byrholdingfthe metering device Vatre'stiat fprofpfer intervals, spaces-areprovided betweenreleased cari groups@ and theV cans that arebeing -heldby the inete'ijinc7 d 'so Vthat the Vpush*rocls=rna.y successively;

`released'groupsIto, theloading station;V 1 1 1 comprisesV chains; passing, around VVmatin'sprocket-s146 `and47i carried-xon shaftsAS fand V49 respectively.;A The Y i' Y VThe LShanna. i 4fiiredithereonfwrhicli is driven by amotor chains also pass aroundfidl'e risproclrets." has a sprocketfll Y 52 through 'eha-in'Si.`

sprocketfS- is Xedion :andpassingeover Y this sprocket'is a chain 551 which passes aroun V-asp-ifoelect.

56 on.,stub-shaft vThe .shaft` -24-` carrying-.conveyor roll-23 is driven from the3ish-aft.:57', by IjileariigofV a upair Y-of'interineshing gears 58Qand-59lxed .'respectivelyon :these shafts.V SeeFlGURES Zand-5. Y end ofpshaft 2li-"from thelgearfrthere'isfiiedjasprockett 66 havingla'chainl Gli passing thereover tojdrl've a sprocket;VV f 62 xed VVon ja Vhubelernentle ,which,isgfijee tolrrotateonf v shaftl. The hub 63 comprises ondelernent offa Vsinglerevolutionfclutch indicated, as' a whole at'6'4.'

nected to the shaft "34 V:inoperative `,andjor V.quickreleafs tof such ,clutch part.- For. this Ypi'girposet-he rotary meinbe 65; is lined on` the shaft 34fand'is'rforrned Witlianot-chd lon itsY periphery-into which :a detent'rnaynbe' rece' ed kThis lde-tentgisipiyotally mounted,Y on "ai frame elem ntfti#Y in zposition softhat the end of the.detentinaybear-onfthe Vperiphery 1 of 1 member 65 as it rotates' ar'idf'inay enter into .the 'notch 661 as soonasithe notchv is'brought into @register -5 Withtheendof the ,detent A s'pring69f Vsecured-to the- Y detent arinat oneendandgto,abracketm atvthefotherl" end, Vurges the end of` thefdete'nt, againstethesurfa'ce ofgtlzi'eY l Y member 65 and causes it'togsnap'intothelnotch to stop,"V

trota-tion of .the member'.V

inzit all sixV cans infthe row will'be resting dat For, the purpose :of withdrawingthedetentffrorncthe 'i y notch a bar '7l is employed, having its end pivoted on frame element 6g. The bar 71 lhas a laterally extending pin 72 which bears freelyY on the top edge of the detent arm and, by swinging bar 71 downward, the detent is moved against the tension of the spring 69 and withdrawn from the notch. A spring 73 is joined at one end to the bar 71 `and at the other end to a bracket 74 fixed on the frame, and serves to urge the bar 71 upward, causing it to swing up sufciently to remove the pin 72 from engagement with the detent which allows the detent to enter the notch as soon as the two are in register.

Means are provided, as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, for withdrawing the detent 67 from the notch 66 to cause the metering device to begin operation and this operation is timed with the travel of the push rods on the push rod conveyor 10. For this purpose a piston and cylinder mechanism 77 is employed having the piston rod 78 connected with the end of the pivoted bar 71 by a lost motion connection. A yoke 79 on the end of the piston rod is formed with slots int-o which is received la pin 84B iixed in the end of the ba-r 71. When the piston rod is moved down the pin 712, bearing on the detent arm, will remove the end of t'hedetent from the notch, whereupon the member 65 will begin rotating together with shaft -34 to drive the metering device.

When the piston rod is moved upward the bar 7l will swing up and is then held in it-s up position by the spring 73. The bar thus moves to a position in which the detent is free to swing up -as soon as the notch is brought into register with the end of the detent.

In order to -control the pist-on rod a solenoid valve 8l is provided. This valve may be of the double solenoid type and is controlled by slip ring mechanism as shown in FIGURES l and 6. Two slip ring units, one for each coil of the double solenoid valve, are secured on control shaft 82 having a bevel gear meshing with a sirnilar gear on shaft 48, The continuous conducting ring 83 h-as a brush 84 bear-ing thereon. Extending from the ring 83 is a conducting segment S5 arranged to pass in con-tact with brush 86. When this contact is made, current may ow from the line 87, connected to a source of power, through wire 88, through brush 84, contact ring S3, segment S5, brush S6, and wire 39, thence through solenoid coil 90 to the ground connection 9i. This energizes the coil 90 to move its spool to a position to permit air under pressure t=o enter the cylinder above the piston and force the piston rod down to swing down bar 71. This removes the detent from the rotary member 65 and causes actuation of the metering device.

As soon as the member 65 begins to rotate so that the detent is bearing on the cyl-indrical face of the member, the soleno-id valve may be reversed to raise the piston rod. This will be effected by the second slip ring unit having a continuous conducting ring 93 with segment 94 which is fixed on the shaft so that it will move under its brush 95 within a short time elapse after the segment 85 moves fout of contact with its brush Se. The lower solenoid coil 96 is then energized through the conducting wires and slip ring unit, as illustrated, causing air under pressure to enter below the .piston and move the piston rod and yoke '79 t-o its raised position, as shown in FIGURE 7.

The pin 72 on the bar 7l, then being brought to the position shown in FIGURE 6, will permit the end of detent 67 to enter the not-ch 66 as soon as the member 65 has completed one revolution and the notch comes into registration with the detent,

The sprocket ratios are preferably such that conveyors 7 and 10 travel at substantially the same speed and the metering chains travel somewhat slower than the conveyors.

To review the operation-the cans are delivered in a plurality of rows to conveyor 7 by feeding conveyor 5. This latter conveyor may be a part of the ordinary equipment of the packing plant. As the rows of cans reach the receiving conveyor V7 they encounter the pins on the metering device. When these pins are being held stationary, the conveyor belts or plates slip harmlessly beneath the cans while urging them forward.

As soon as the metering device is started, the rows of cans advance behind the can-engaging pins. Just prior to the point where the metering device is brought to a stop, a set of pins moves up into position behind the last can in the rows of a predetermined number. In the present inst-ance, the pins move up into can-engaging position behind the sixth can of each row, As both the leading and trailing pins, as best seen in FIGURES l and 3, are disposed in position oiset from t'ne center lines of the longitudinal rows and are in close relation to the cans, i-t will be clear that six cans in each row are under the control of leading and trailing pins that are spaced apart less than six can diameters.

.As soon as the metering device is started, the leading pins immediately start to move forward and downward around sprockets 32, 32 and thus no longer restrain the cans. The entire group of four rows of six cans each moves forward on conveyor belts 29, and the group immediately begins to separate from the main body of advancing cans due to the differential speed of the conveyor and the metering chains. The cans in the oncoming rows overtake the pins which were designated as trailing pins and the leading cans in the main body of advancing cans move up against these pins, which may now be considered as leading pins, and remain in contact until the metering chains are again stopped. A new set of trailing pins has now moved up in can engaging position, with each pin in close relation to the vertical can Wall.

In the event that some of the chimes in the row of six cans have become overlapped there will be slightly more space between the trailing pin (for that row of cans) and the trailing can. However, due to the spacing of the pins as described, there will be no tendency for the trailing pins to move up and engage the bottom wall of the next can which, if it could occur, would cause the chime of the can so engaged to remain hooked on the upper end of the pin.

As the released group of cans advances farther and a larger space is created one of the push rods on the conveyor 10 will move down into such space ready to propel the group. In the normal operation of the mechanism disclosed, the group of twenty-four cans will advance somewhat ahead of the push rod until the leading portion of the group has been pushed onto the dead plate 9. The group will then come to a stop for a brief interval until the oncoming push rod reaches the trailing end of the group and begins to propel it to the loading point.

While the present description sets forth a preferred form of the invention, numerous changes may be made in the mechanism as disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the present disclosure be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A machine for metering a predetermined number of uniform size, upright chimed articles of generally cylindrical form, such as chimed cans, to constitute a segregated group, such machine comprising a narrow, endless belt conveyor upon which a row of abutted, successively related, chimed articles may be conveyed with provision for the belt to slip beneath the articles, means for continuously driving the belt, said belt being narrower than the diameter of the articles, whereby the articles will project outwardly of the belt at least along one side thereof, guide means for the articles disposed along the opposite side of the belt, a metering device comprising an endless member arranged to operate on the side of the belt opposite the guide means, said metering device having a plurality of equi-spaced, article-engaging elements Y jwhereby the trailing element is adapted to travel in close= juxtaposition to a portion of the trailing `article located carried onsaid endless member below the level of .ther

article supporting .belt and having free end portions pro-Y jectinglupward into thepath of the articles so thatc'erf tain of the articles in the vconveyed row may be engaged= bysaid elements, the spacing of said elements being less than theoverall length oftheV article' group to be segregated, whereby the leading yelement is adapted to erigage a portion of the leading article of' a group' at a pointk located rearwardly of suchfarticles foremost surface, and

forwardly' of such varticles rearmost surface to avoid hav-Y ing; such trailingelement engage the leading article Vin a `succeedingarticle group even though certain chimes of ,the articles inthe group to be segregated may be resting device intermittentlyto .e'iect spacing between successive article groups on .the supportingconveyor belt.

' 2. A machine, for metering a predetermined number of Y uniform size, upright, chimedarticles of generally cylin- .dricallfornn such as chirned cans, to constitute a segre- 215 one upon the other, and means for operating the metering W.

.gatedgroup comprising uniforrnrlength rows, such`ma- `chinecomprising'a plurality of endless supporting belts ,upon each of Whiclra row. of abutted, successively related, chirned articles may be conveyed with provision for the individual,V belts to slip :beneath the rows on which the Varticles arei supported, means forcontinuouslyV drivving the beltsin synchronism,.each belt being .narrower than the diameterot the articles, Wherebyrthe articlesjwill project outwardlyfof thebelt ateleast along one side .'thereof, a metering device foreach roWfof articles, said metering -deviceseach comprising an endless member arranged respectively to operateon the sides of the belts Y orvenwlzlich the articles-project, said metering devices each 2/50..-fBramson-`.'. A V Y Y 3,053,025 9/.762 Nigrenretal.; raise-+34 SAMUEL F5 COLEMAN, Primm? Emailing.;

such Yarticles Vforemost fsurface,y 'and wherebyitheltrailing element of` eachlof theim'eter'ingvdevicesis-adaptedfre spective'ly to Vtravelin close juxtaposition' Ato a portion 'ofV the trailing article of thev individual, rows located VVfor;- Wardly of such articleps rearmostsurfacep to'jtavoid having such trailing elementV of the-V individual z metering device engageY the leadingarticle in a succeeding larticl'e 'rovv'` even though certain Ychirnes'oftlie articlesrin one' ormore oi the rowsV being lsegregated mayberesting Ai,ornezupcni the otheryand meansforf uniformly operatingirthemetering devicesgintermitte'ntly'to eiect spacing betwee'nrsucl s Vcessive Varticle groups of rovi/sV onztllerspporting con-V` 1 fteyor belts." Y A.

,References citeaiayrtnegE'gaannrg- I Y UNITED1STATES1BATENTS; i

ERNEST FALLER, Examiner; 

1. A MACHINE FOR METERING A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF UNIFORM SIZE, UPRIGHT CHIMED ARTICLES OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL FORM. SUCH AS CHIMED CANS, TO CONSTITUTE A SEGREGATED GROUP, SUCH MACHINE COMPRISING A NARROW, ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR UPON WHICH A ROW OF ABUTTED, SUCCESSIVELY RELATED, CHIMED ARTICLES MAY BE CONVEYED WITH PROVISION FOR THE BELT TO SLIP BENEATH THE ARTICLES, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DRIVING THE BELT, SUCH BELT BEING NARROWER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE ARTICLES, WHEREBY THE ARTICLES WILL PROJECT OUTWARDLY OF THE BELT AT LEAST ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF, GUIDE MEANS FOR THE ARTICLES DISPOSED ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BELT, A METERING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ENDLESS MEMBER ARRANGED TO OPERATE ON THE SIDE OF THE BELT OPPOSITE THE GUIDE MEANS, SAID METERING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF EQUI-SPACED, ARTICLE-ENGAGING ELEMENTS CARRIED ON SAID ENDLESS MEMBER BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE ARTICLE SUPPORTING BELT AND HAVING FREE END PORTIONS PRO JECTING UPWARD INTO THE PATH OF THE ARTICLES SO THAT CERTAIN OF THE ARTICLES IN THE CONVEYED ROW MAY BE ENGAGED BY SAID ELEMENTS, THE SPACING OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING LESS THAN THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THE ARTICLE GROUP TO BE SEG- 